Opener for gates.



M. S. HAMMER.

OPENER FOR GATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. :0, me.

1,206,219. Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

I SVVUGVWOT,

7 3-45. Hammer M. S. HAMMER. OPENER roR GATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 10. I916.

1 206,2 1 9.- Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

2 5HEETSSHEET 2.

Hiiin' imn'umwmilh'il l l al'tozu M30 MARTIN S. HAMMER,'OF MQDESTO,CALIFORNIA.

OPENER FOR GATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application filed February 10, 1916. Serial No. 77,459.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN S. HAMMER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Modesto, in the county ofStanislaus and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Openers for Gates; and I do declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates generally to gates, and more particularly toopeners therefor.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a swinging gateadapted to be unlatched, opened, maintained in its open position, andclosed, without the necessity of dismounting from a horse or leaving avehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich will be simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive in construction,efiicient and reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purpose forwhich it is designed.

Other objects and uses will appear from the detailed description of theinvention which consists in the features of construction and combinationof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference charactersdesignate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a gate constructed in accordance with thisinvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper pivot mechanism ofthe gate; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the upper pivot mechanism of thegate; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through a portion of thegate showing the lower pivot; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional viewtaken on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference characterldesignates a fence post to which is hinged in a manner hereinafter to bedescribed a gate 2. This gate 2 may be of any convenient construction,but is here shown as being formed of a pair of substantially upright endbars 3 be tween which are disposed parallel longi-' tudinal bars 4. Theinner end of the gate is cut ofi' angularly and the inner end bar 3 isextended upwardly above the plane of the .uppermost longitudinal bar 4:-

Secured in any suitable manner to the lower end of the inner end her 3is a cap member 5, from the lower face of which extends a pivot stud 6.This pivot stud 6 is received in a suitable recess 7 arranged in theupper face of a metal plate 8, the latter being secured to asuitableblock 9 fastened to the lower end of the fence post 1. Thismechanism comprises the lowerfixed pivot of the gate.

Arranged adjacent the upper inner end of the gate 2 and adjacent theupper end of the inner end bar 3 is a guide in the form of .a segmentalplate 10, the rear end of whichis provided with a downwardly extendingportion 11, the latter being firmly secured to the fence post 1 bysuitable screws or bolts 12. Pivoted at a point in vertical alinementwith the lower fixed pivot of the gate 2 by a pivot bolt 13, is aU-shaped link member 14, the two arms 15 of which are disposed onopposite sides of the plate 10. The outer ends of the arms 15 areprovided with alined bearings 16 in which is revolubly mounted a shaft17 and fixed to the shaft 17 between the arms 15 is a pinion 18, thelatter engaging a rack 19 arranged on the arcuate edge of the plate 10.The lower end of the shaft 17 is extended into a recess 20 arranged inthe upper end of the inner end bar 3, a metal cap member 21 having an'aperture 22 in the upper face thereof being disposed over the end of theend bar 3 to prevent wearing of the recess 20.

Clamped between a suitable stop member 22 and a nut member 23 secured onthe threaded upper end of the shaft 17, is a double pulley '24 aroundwhich'are wound suitable ropes 25 and 26. These ropes are carried downthe road on either side of the gate 2 and are run over suitable pulleys27 secured to arms 28 arranged at the upper ends of posts 29. Thefree'ends of the ropes 25 and 26 are provided with handle members30,.which are preferably made of metal or some heavy material to causethe former to remain substantially in an upright position.

The outer end bar 3 of the gate is provided with a lug 31 which engagesa resilient latch In order to c 3611 the ate 2 it is necessar 19, thusmoving the upper inner end of the gate concentrically around the lowerfixed pivot thereof in a planeabove the same and in advance of the otherportion of the gate. As may be readily understood, the gate is tilted inthe direction toward which the pinion is moved, or inother words,overbalanced, and it then swings into opened position by force ofgravity. Loose movement between the pivot stud 6 and the shaft 17 isaccomplished by having their sockets larger than is ordinarilynecessary. 7 i

To close the gate, the short rope at the other side thereof is pulleddownwardly, and in which event the movement of the pulley 2i and thepinion 18 is reversed, thereby causing the gate to swing into its closedposition by force of gravity. It is to.

be uncerstood that in both the opening and closing movement of the gate,the lug 31 carried at the outer end thereof passes beyond the resilientarms of the latch 32.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the.accompanying drawings, the operation of the invention willbe fullyunderstood without a more extended explanation.

its various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention, 1 do not wish to be limitedto the construction here? in described and shown other than that setforthin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a normallybalanced swinging gate, a pinion rotatably mounted at the upper innerend of said gate, astationary rack guide supported adjacentsaid gate andpositioned for engagement, with said pinion, and means for rotatingsaid. pinion, whereby'to tilt said gate.

2. In a device of the "character described. the combination of anormally balanced swinging gate, a. segmental rack arranged adjacent theupper end of: said gate, a pivotally mounted member connected to theupper inner end of said gate, a pinion mounted on said member andengaging said rack, andmeans for rotating said pinion for Copies of thispatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theCommissioner, of. latents,

' \v. moving tile-11131362111118? end of said gate,

whereby to tilt the latter.

upper inner end of said gate, a rack arranged on the arcuate edge ofsaid plate, a pinion fixed to said shaft and engaging said rack, andmeans for rotating said pinion for moving the upper inner end of saidgate 7 around said rack whereby to tilt said gate,

4:. In a device of the character described, the combination of anormally balanced swinging gate, segmental plate arranged adjacent theupper inner end of said gate, a'

U-shaped link member pivoted to said plate, the arms of said memberbeing spaced and disposed on opposite sides of said plate, a shaftmounted on the outer ends of said arms and loosely connected to theupper inner end of said gate, a rack arranged on the arcuate edge ofsaid plate, a pinion fixed to said shaft and engaging said rack, apulley fixed to said shaft, and means for rotating said pulley formoving the upper inner end of said gate around said rack, whereby totiltsaid gate.

5. 111 a device of the class described, the combination with a normallybalanced swinging gate having a recess in its upper inner endand'a pivotstudat'its lower inner end, a supporting plate arranged below the lowerinner end of said gate and having a recess therein for receiving saidstud, a segmental, rack supported adjacent the upper inner end of saidgate, an upright shaft rotatably supported adjacent the last referredvtoend of said gate and having a pinion fixed thereon for engagement withsaid rack, the lower end of said shaft being loosely received in therecess in the upper inner end of saidgate, and means for rotating saidshaft whereby to tilt said gate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses. I

, MARTIN S. HAMMER. WVit-nesses a E. C. FLQREY,

HARRIET LYMAN.

Washington, D 0.!

